Thursday, January 10, 2008

I Wasn't Hired For My Disposition

For the last couple of days we've had major problems with our computer hardware at the workplace and during which I realized a few things about my job and me:

1. I spent the month of September sitting on my ass watching game shows, sports, and movie channels and I really miss that month.

2. When it came to the workplace the biggest thing is that I am not a "people person". I'm a very social person, but in the corporate setting I'd rather be left alone and I'll touch on that in a moment.

3. The best part of the last few days was that my e-mail was out and that makes me very happy because I hate e-mail. So it was a perfect Adam day because there was no Microsoft Office Assistant asking me if I want to read the stupid corporate e-mail that came through.

(Note: I hate e-mail because of the military. I used to get the same e-mail at least three times. It would start with the Commanding Officer who would send it to everyone that word is key. Then my lieutenant would send it around to his department, then my Master Sergeant would send it to his Sergeants and I was then expected to re-forward it to my peons. I of course would tell everyone that they wasted computer resources and that precious government dollar by clogging our mail servers with 55 copies of the same piece of mail. I even tried to put on my evaluation that I "Saved the government uncountable amounts of money by cutting e-mail traffic by 75%" they where not amused.)

The part of the day that finally made me stress at work was the damn phone. It didn't stop ringing. I actually wanted to go outside and have a cigarette because the phone calls where pissing me off so much; I don't even carry smokes to work anymore. South Park once told me that there are no stupid questions, just stupid people who ask questions. That statement has never really hit home before today. I'll give you a sample of a few of my phone interactions. The first ones were polite and I explained that we have some problems but we are working to resolve it and I will spread the word when all is well. The phone calls after that got a little worse because my mouth works faster than my mind sometimes.

Them: Do the printers work?Me: Not yet, I'm working on it though.Them: How about e-mail?Me: Did you try it?Them: Yeah it didn't work.Me: Guess it's still out.Them: When are the printers going to work? What's wrong with them?Me: I don't know what's wrong yet and if I knew that I would tell you so you wouldn't call anymore.Them: Well what am I supposed to do? I have a class to teach!Me: I don't know I can't make these decisions for you.Them: :slamming phone:Me: Your welcomeThem: Does anything work.Me: Not yetThem: Why not?Me: I have to keep stopping because the phone continues to ringThem: That's real helpful (sarcastic tone) :phone slam part two:I was told that I should try to be more polite.